ICE Detainees Seek Injunction Over Alleged Abuse at Camp East Montana

A group of 43 current or former detainees, relatives of deceased detainees, and medical experts have filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in federal court in El Paso, Texas, seeking to halt what they describe as unconstitutional punishment at ICE’s largest detention facility, Camp East Montana at Fort Bliss. The filing, submitted Thursday, includes sworn declarations, 29 medical records, four oversight reports and two expert declarations. Plaintiffs argue the conditions violate the Fifth Amendment.

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ICE’s Office of Detention Oversight inspected the camp in February, reporting a 37.5 % failure rate covering use-of-force, restraints, sexual-abuse prevention and tuberculosis protocols, yet still assigning an “Acceptable/Adequate” rating. A follow-up unannounced inspection in May noted overall deficiencies rising from 49 to 52, with “Priority Component Deficiencies” increasing from three to 12; eight of these were repeat deficiencies and the report listed zero corrective actions. Detainees are housed in windowless tent enclosures that can hold up to 72 people, with reports of 23–24 hours of confinement, dust, overflowing toilets and limited access to food, water, medicine and recreation. A separate claim notes more than a dozen measles cases in February–March 2026 and that 16 % of reviewed records lacked proper tuberculosis screening.

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Multiple detainees identified by pseudonyms describe systematic beatings. “Isaac,” a 43-year-old Cuban, says guards repeatedly slammed his head against a wall, twisted his ankles and crushed his testicles after he refused removal to Mexico. “Abel,” another Cuban, alleges similar beatings after resisting cuffing. “Eduardo” recounts being taken to the border near Santa Teresa around the scheduled date of October 23, 2025, where masked personnel forced detainees to “jump over into Mexico.” He also claims guards stomped on him until he lost consciousness. A 19-year-old Venezuelan, “Samuel,” reports a body-slam that broke a tooth, crushed his testicles and caused lasting hearing loss, resulting in a $1,140 emergency-room bill. The motion cites a homicide ruling by the El Paso Medical Examiner for a detainee death caused by asphyxia due to neck and torso compression, and alleges missing or destroyed evidence related to that death.

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The Department of Homeland Security has labeled the allegations “categorically false,” describing them as a “smear campaign” and “fearmongering clickbait.”

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• “Outside in the hallway, the guards started beating on me,” — Isaac

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• “When the guards took us out of the truck, they replaced the metal cuffs with plastic ones and then told us to jump over into Mexico,” — Eduardo

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• “I have seen other people get beaten up and forced to jump.” — Eduardo

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• “Urgent protection is desperately needed at Camp East Montana,” — Gerald Akari Angye

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